Story+2003-03-26+Brisbane,+Australia

“Thank you (crowd cheers) evening, Brisbane (crowd cheers) alright, we’ve had, uh…man, we’ve had, uh, it’s our last night in the Oz so, uh (crowd cheers) we’ve had a hell of a time down here…oh …got a question, uh, who’s, who’s seen any one of the other, three other shows that we did? (crowd cheers) come on, all you guys couldn’t have been to one of the other three shows (?) who’s really seen one of the other three shows? (crowd cheers) we’ll play some different things for you, that’s right (crowd cheers) anyway, once again we’re hoping that the lights stay on, the sound stays on tonight, I believe this city would have to go black for there to be a problem…so…need a little bit of quiet for these next few songs, please…”
 * 26.03.03 Brisbane, Australia, intro to “Empty Sky”**

“(having problems with the sound on his guitar) Hey, Monty, help me up on here, man (strums the guitar) oh no, shades of Sydney (chuckles) (strums the guitar) wait (strums the guitar) can I get (strums the guitar) can we do it? (strums the guitar) can you do it? (strums the guitar) it’s about to come on now (strums the guitar) I can tell (strums the guitar) aw, fuck it! (chuckles)(laughs from the crowd)…”
 * 26.03.03 Brisbane, Australia, intro to “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day”**

“[Does the “Are you ready?”-call-and-response with the crowd]…Well, are you ready for a house party (crowd cheers) I don’t know, C…I mean is everybody ready for a house party? (crowd cheers) I think some people are ready and some people ain’t ready…well, we’ve come to this point in the night, it’s the moment of truth! (crowd cheers) because if you’re gonna have a house party, you’ve got to have two conditions…one…the music has got to be righteous (crowd cheers) and then two…you’ve got to get up off your ass now! (crowd cheers) come on!...it is time for the Australian ass-rising (crowd cheers) come on up for the ass-rising (chuckles) come on…ah, that’s nice, that’s…because I wanna introduce to you the greatest little house band in all the land (crowd cheers) on the piano, we’ve got the (?) piano-pounding, palpitating Professor Roy Bittan (crowd cheers) on the vocals and violin, we got out of New York City, Sister Soozie Tyrell (crowd cheers) on the guitar we got the keeper of all that is sacred on E Street, Little Steven Van Zandt (crowd cheers) and on the bass guitar, we got the Tennessee Terror, Mr. Garry W. Tallent (crowd cheers) on the drums, we got the man that brings the power hour after hour, bringing the thunder Down Under, the Minister of the big beat and star of “Late Night (crowd: “Television”) the Mighty Max Weinberg (crowd cheers) on the guitar, we got Minister of spirit, the great Nils Lofgren (crowd cheers) on the organ and accordion, we got the Minister of mystery, brother Dan Federici (crowd cheers) at the far side of the stage, we got the First Lady of love and my personal saviour, Miss Patti Scialfa (crowd cheers) come on, baby…oh, rescue me, I want you in my arms, rescue me, oh, I need all your charms, ‘cause I’m lonely and I’m blue, I need you and your love too, come on and rescue me…help me, baby… save me, baby…come on, sugar…I’m telling you this works at home (crowd cheers) alright…and last but not least (crowd cheers) last but not least (crowd cheers) we got the Minister of soul (crowd cheers) Secretary of the brotherhood (crowd cheers) Emperor of all Australia (crowd cheers) and connected territories – ladies and gentlemen, I know you wish you could be like him but I’m sorry, you cannot because under the sun there is only one Clarence “Big Man” Clemons (crowd cheers)(?) yes…yes…that’s right…yes…yes… (laughs from the crowd)...”
 * 26.03.03 Brisbane, Australia, middle of “Mary’s Place”**

“Thank you (crowd cheers) alright, you girls from Oak Hill Academy? (girls scream) ah, I guess not (chuckles)(laughs from the crowd) what are you doing way down here?...that’s about ten minutes from my house (chuckles) what are you doing, what are you doing way down here? (girls yell) I don’t know, are you vacationing? (girls yell) you’re running? (laughs from the crowd) sunning, ah (chuckles) one of those, you’re either running or sunning, anyway (chuckles)…(chuckles) good to see you, stay off my lawn, though, don’t go on my lawn (laughs from the crowd) (chuckles)…”
 * 26.03.03 Brisbane, Australia, intro to “This Hard Land”**

“Are you ready to raaaammmmrooooddd?.... (…) Hey man…man, I do believe…I’m running out of gas…I do believe…it’s quitting time…I think these people got to go to work in the morning…I do believe it’s time to go on home (crowd: “No”) I gotta go back to the hotel and make myself one of them delicious Vegamite-sandwiches (crowd cheers) what is that shit?...well, now what I wanna know, Steve…if it ain’t quitting time, brother, what I wanna know is…what time is it?...(crowd: “Boss-time”)…it’s what? (crowd: “Boss-time!”) it’s who? (crowd: “Boss-time”)… (…) Mr. and Mrs. Australia, all I wanna know is what time is it? (crowd: “Boss-time!”) what time is it? (crowd: “Boss-time!”)…”
 * 26.03.03 Brisbane, Australia, intro to “Ramrod”**

“Thank you…thank you very much…this is our last night here in Australia and I just want to take a second and thank, thank all, all you folks that came out to our shows all over here, we, uh, haven’t been back in a long time and to get the kind of reception we got these last four shows meant a lot to us, we appreciate your loyalty and support (crowd cheers) we’re gonna do our best not to stay away so long next time (crowd cheers) thank you so much, really…”
 * 26.03.03 Brisbane, Australia, intro to “My City of Ruins”**

“This is “Land of hope and dreams”…wanna send this out tonight as a prayer for peace, a prayer for the safety of our sons and daughters, Australian sons and daughters, innocent Iraqi civilians and the end to the hostilities in Iraq (crowd cheers)…”
 * 26.03.03 Brisbane, Australia, intro to “Land of Hope and Dreams”**

“Alright, this man’s got a request, we’re gonna give that thing a try …”I’m a Rocker,” “I’m a Rocker” (laughs) give me the drumbeat, Max (Max starts) come on, come on, keyboards…are you ready?... this is from “The River”…(music starts) gimme those organs…(?) you the man, brother…”
 * 26.03.03 Brisbane, Australia, intro to “I’m a Rocker”**

//Compiled by Johanna Pirttijärvi//